After paying a courtesy visit to Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-gu Shrine, I walked eastward out of the... read more
After paying a courtesy visit to Tsurugaoka-Hachiman-gu Shrine, I walked eastward out of the... read more
...not much to see here but a must if you are interested in the history of Kamakura, as Minamoto... read more
Close to the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine, the grave of Minamoto no Yoritomo is a must-see for any Japanese history buff, especially if interested in the Heike/Genji history. Minamoto no Yoritomo was both the founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate, which saw Japan switch from the aristocratic rule of the Taira (Heike) clan to that of the samourai under the Minamoto (Genji) clan. The grave is approximately a 10 minute walk from the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu shrine. Just be ready to climb quite a few steep steps to get to it. If going in the summer, bring something to drink as you will be sweating by the time you get to the grave itself.
This is the grave of Minamoto no Yoritomo, a shogun warrior who was once the militar boss of Japan.
He was the founder of Kamakura Shogun, or militar government. The grave is a five floor stone pagoda. The place is surprisingly quiet - no sign of tourists around despite the significance of the monument, which makes the visit even better.